Draupadi
|image = |realname = Krishnaa Draupadi|aliases = Queen Draupadi|residence = Panchal, Indraprasth, Hastinapur|species = Human (Female)|friends = Vrushali|family = Drupad (father) Shikandi (elder sister) Dhristadyumn (twin brother) Pandavas (husbands) Upapandavas (sons)|powers = Creating Fire|other names = Panchali|first = Episode 84|role actor = Pooja Sharma}}Draupadi (Sanskrit:द्रौपदी Transliteration:Draupadī) is the "emerged" daughter of King Drupad of Panchal. She is the female protagonist and heroine of the Mahabharat. Birth and Curse by Drupad As King Drupad is defeated by Pandav Prince Arjun, due to Harshness to Arjun's guru, Dronacharya. He was enraged. So, he performed a yagya to beget a son. The Gods granted his wish on one condition of accepting a daughter. Drupad was enraged again. The gods asked how like his daughter should be. He spoke in harsh words and cursed her. The Curse was, "She, (she is useless to the king and unwanted gift) will go through all the pain and sufferings in her life, she will be ridiculed and will be laughed at even though she will be innocent throughout her ordeal. She will be as pure as light and as bright as fire but will be unwanted or pushed away by all". Hearing this, Lightnings were striking, The fire was extinguished. After some time, the fire started lighting up and touched the sky. A lady had emerged in the fire. The sages who were performing the yagya were happy and yelled at Drupad that "she will change the world and destroy the selfish rulers and kings in the world and the world will call her 'Draupadi'!". After she emerged from fire, Draupadi got to get blessings from Drupad but he refused and he told that she was a mistake given by gods and sends her to exile. Adopted Unwillingly As Draupadi in the forest, Lord Krishna teases her and tells that he is going to wage a war against Kampilya. She don't know about him. She asked 'Who are you? What is relationship between Kampilya and you?" Krishna replied "I am Sri Krishna" and fled. Drupad and Draupadi's elder twin brother Dhristadyumn were ready to battle Krishna. While Dhristadyumn and Drupad were defeated, Krishna waged a weapon against Drupad. Suddenly, Draupadi appeared and rescued him. Krishna stopped the weapon. After this, Draupadi went to forest again, without saying one word. Later, Krishna says about Draupadi and purpose of her birth and he should adopt her. Drupad was happy and adopted her. Swayamvar Draupadi found that Arjun is the prince of Hastinapur, fell love with him. Drupad was unknown of this, set up a Swayamvar. Draupadi met Arjun in a forest and asked him to participate in her swayamvara. He nodded yes and Duryodhan, Dushasan, Shakuni and Karna. It was a Archery competition. Duryodhan wanted to win this competition to win the hand of Draupadi, but he did not get skilled in archery. Instead of him, Karna participated. Draupadi saaw this, and said it loudly, "I can't marry a suta putra (Charioteer's son)". Karna was angry and sun was in rage and she said "Forgive me surya dev, If you want to punish me, you can fire on me." hearing this, the sun calmed down. However, Arjun won the hand of Draupadi. Meeting Pandavs in the forest After the swayamvara was finished, Arjun goes to the forest, Draupadi follows him. Arjun requested to marry his elder brother Yudhisthir. But she refuses. She was worried that, If she marries Yudhisthir alone, what will happen to other four?. She went to Kunti and Pandavs living place in the forest, and told that she was ready to marry five of them, but Yudhisthir realises it's wrong. Suddenly, Drupad came and shouted "she can't marry them!" and took Draupadi with him. Later, Krishna takes Pandavs with him and tells Drupad that Draupadi will marry them. Drupad first was in anger, then he accepted. Marriage Draupadi's marriage was saddest ever. Bheem has already a wife, and promises that he will never bring out his wife Hidimbi. Drupad asked many questions to the sage and finally all they were married. After the marriage, Vidur was seeing all this and fled back to Hastinapur. Coming to Hastinapur When she and Pandavs reached Hastinapur, all were happy except Kauravs and their maternal uncle Shakuni. But they didn't realize who married Draupadi. Gandhari asked where are the other wives of them. Yudhisthir replies that the all the Pandavs married Draupadi. Hearing this, Gandhari dropped the Ritual Plate and Shakuni and the Kauravs were mocking at them. Bheeshm was angry and later Draupadi calmed him down. Pandavs' Arrest Later, Dhirthirashtr orders soldiers to arrest Pandavs and put them into Kalgraha. Draupadi saw them and became emotional. Pandavs advice her to flee away from Hastinapur. While they were arrested, Bheeshm and Vidur save them. Living in Indraprasth Dhritrashtr invites Pandavs to Hastinapur and proposes division of Kingdom to Yudhishtir which he accepts. Pandavs are assigned Khandavprasth, referred to as unreclaimed desert in Mahabharata, and should rule there. With the help of Krishna, Pandavs rebuilt Khandavprasta into Indraprastha. The crown jewel of the country was the main palace, built in a valley. It was filled with books, art, mounted creatures, and with Mayasur's sorcery, there were awe-inspiring illusions everywhere. Yudhisthir performed the Rajasuya Yagna, the Pandavs gained lordship over many regions. Insulting Duryodhan Indraprasth was built at the site of the Khandaa forest. The pride of buildings was the "Palace of Illusions", and this was where Duryodhan and his entourage explored during Hastinapur's attending of the Rajasuya Yagna. The moment Duryodhan entered the palace he encountered an atmosphere of mystery. A retinue of maidservants appeared through a wall and lined up before the guests. The courtyard was divided in two parts. The surface of one part appeared to ripple like the surface of a lake. The surface of the other part appeared solid as granite flooring and when Duryodhana stepped on the apparently solid part of the courtyard, there was a splash and Duryodhan found himself waist deep in water, drenched from head to foot. Draupadi's maid servant told that is he blind like his father. Duryodhan thought it was Draupadi teased him whilea smile in her face. Disrobing This key incident is often considered to mark a definitive moment in the story of Mahabharat. It is one of the driving reasons that ultimately led to the Kurukshetra war. The catalyst of the incident was believed to be Duryodhan's desire to reunite Hastinapur, wrestle power from the Pandavas, and avenge the insults made against him by the Pandavas and Draupadi. Together with his his maternal uncle Shakuni and Dhritrashtr, Duryodhan conspired to call on the Pandavs to Hastinapur and win their kingdoms in a game of gambling. The plan's architect, Shakuni was blessed with dice that would never disobey his will. The idea was that Shakuni would play against Yudhishthir and win at the gambling table what was impossible to win on the battlefield.As the game proceeded, Yudhishthir lost everything one-by-one. Having lost all material wealth, he went on to put his brothers at stake, and lost them too. Ultimately he put himself at stake, and lost again. All the Pandavas were now the servants of the Kauravas. But for Duryodhan, the humiliation of the Pandavas was not complete. He prods Yudhishthir that he has not lost everything yet; Yudhishthir still has Draupadi with him and if he wishes he can win everything back by putting Draupadi at stake. Inebriated by the game, Yudhishthir, to the horror of everybody present, puts Draupadi up as a bet for the next round. Playing the next round, Shakuni wins. Draupadi was horrified after hearing that she was staked in the game and now is a slave for Duryodhan. Draupadi questions Yudhishtir's right on her as he had lost himself first and she was still the queen. She refuses to present herself in court. Duryodhan, angry with Draupadi's behaviour, commands his younger brother Dushasan to bring her into the court, forcefully if he must. Dushasan goes to grab Draupadi, but she stroke him with a sword. She ran to get help from Kunti and Gandhari, Dushasan follows her and grabs by her hair. Dushasana grabs her by the hair and brings her into the court. She is dragged to the court by the hair. Now in an emotional appeal to the elders present in the forum, Draupadi repeatedly questions the legality of the right of Yudhishthir to place her at stake; in Panchal, such a move would be unheard of. Everybody remains dumbfounded. In order to provoke the Pandavs further, Duryodhan bares and pats his thigh looking into Draupadi's eyes, implying that she should sit on his thigh. In rage Bhim vows in front of the entire assembly that he would break that thigh of Duryodhan, or accept being Duryodhan's slave for seven lifetimes. At this time Vikarna, a brother of Duryodhan asks the kings assembled in the court to answer the question of Draupadi. He gives his opinion that Draupadi is not won rightfully as Yudhishthir lost himself first before staking her. Besides Draupadi is the common wife of all Pandavas. Hearing these words, Karna gets angry and says that when Yudhishthir lost all his possession he also lost Draupadi as she includes his possession. Draupadi had been mentioned by Shakuni and approved as a stake by the Pandavas that is why she is rightfully won. Besides the gods have ordained a maximum of three husband for a woman but as Draupadi has many husbands and according to shastras of the age, she can be considered a characterless woman. Bringing her in a court of men is not an surprising act whether she be attired or naked. Duryodhana orders Dushasana to disrobe Draupadi. Seeing her husbands' passivity, Draupadi prays to Krishna to protect her. A miracle occurs henceforward, or even a logical paradox of Draupadi's question – did Yudhishthir have the right to stake her when he had already lost himself?). As the Pandavas and the court looks away, Dushasana unwraps layers and layers of her sari. But as her sari keeps getting extended, everyone looks upon in awe, and Dushasana himself is forced to stop due to exhaustion. At this point, a furious Bhim vows to remove Dushasan's arm (that had held her hair) and to drink the blood from his chest, at the pain of not seeing his ancestors/entering heaven. This vow unsettles the entire court.Draupadi vows not to tie her hair until she has decorated it with the blood of Dushasan. The only Kauravs who object to the disrobing of Draupadi in the court are Vikarna and Vidur. Vikarna appeals the assembly to answer the questions raised by Draupadi, but in vain. Vidur openly calls Duryodhana a snake and a demon, but after finding no support, even from his own brother, Vidur is helpless. Draupadi herself verbally eviscerates the entire court, threatening that once Drupad heard of his daughter's insult, he would tear Hastinapur to the ground. Just as she is about to curse the Kuru dynasty, she is interrupted by the queen mother Gandhari. Gandhari counsels Dhritarashtr to action. Also fearing retribution from Panchal, Dhritarashtr intervenes and grants Draupadi three boons. Draupadi in her first boon asks her husbands to be freed from bondage so her sons would not be caalled Dasas. In her second boon she asks for all the wealth Pandavs lost in the game of dice to be restored to them. When Dhritarashtr asks her to wish for the third boon she refuses by saying that it would be greedy to ask for more. Shakuni and Duryodhan later convince Dhritarashtr to invite Pandavs for a new game of dice, with modified rules. The loser here, would go for 12 years in exile and another one year of anonymity. Yudhisthir agrees and loses again. It was following the defeat in this new game that Pandavs were sent into exile for 13 years. Krishna adviced that they should meditate and get powers. Exile and Abduction by Jayadrath When they went to exile, Draupadi and her husbands build a house, and started their rituals and meditations. After some years, Pandavs and Draupadi sit to eat, Suddenly, Sage Durvas appeared and told that he and his disciples wanted food as they were hungry. But She can't offer eaten foods. Draupadi, in awe, searched that there were no grains. Krishna Appeared there and made Rishi Durvasa's and his disciples' hunger to go away with a single rice, At this, he got up in acting like in anger, but he was happy and blessed Draupadi and went away. While the Pandavs in the Kamyaka forest, they went for hunting, leaving Nakul in the care of Draupadi. At this time, someone voiced as Yudhisthir like he was in trouble. Worried Draupadi told Nakul that he must save him. Nakul went. Then, Jayadrath, the son of Vriddhakshatr, the husband of Duryodhana’s sister Dussala, passed through Kamyaka forest on the way to Salwa Desa. There he saw Draupadi. Jayadrath then started beseeching her to go away with him and desert her husbands who had fallen upon bad times. Bhim saved her and shaved Jayadrath's head. Killing Kichak by Bheem While the Pandavas were leading their normal life in their own disguised form, one day Kichak, the brother of Sudeshna, and the commander of king Virata’s forces, happened to see the Draupadi. He was filled with lust by looking at her. He aked her to marry him, but Draupadi refused him saying that she was already married to Gandharvas. She warned Kichaka that her husbands were very strong and that he would not be able to escape death at their hands. Later, he forced his sister, the queen, to help him win Draupadi. Sudeshna ordered Draupadi to fetch wine from Kichak's house. Draupadi tried to dissuade the queen, but fails. When Draupadi went to get wine, Kichak tried to molest her. Draupadi escaped and runs into the court of Virat. Kichak kicked her in front of all the courtiers, including Yudhisthir. Fearful of losing his most powerful warrior, even Virat did not take any action. Bhim is present, and only a look from Yudhishthir prevents him from attacking Kichak. Furious, Draupadi asked about the duties of a king and dharma. Draupadi then cursed Kichak with death by her husband's hand. Laughing it off, Kichak only doubted their whereabouts and asked those present where are the Ghandaravas were. Yudhisthira then told Sairandhri to go to the temple, as Kichak would not do anything to her there (in some versions, he recommends she seeks refuge with the queen). With this, the king asked Kichak to leave and praised Yudhistir's reply as he himself could not think of anything. Later that night, Arjuna consoled Draupadi, and with Bhim, they hatched a plan to kill Kichak. Draupadi meets with Kichak, pretending to actually love him and agreeing to marry him on the condition that none of his friends or brothers would know about their relationship. Kichak accepted her condition. Draupadi asked Kichaka to come to the dancing hall at night. Bhim(with Draupadi), fights with Kichak and kills him, with Arjun playing the mridangam in order to mask the sounds of battle.